Daily Bread

Joseph Makes Himself Known

45 Then Joseph could no longer control himself^(A) before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”^(B) So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept^(C) so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.^(D)

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”^(E) But his brothers were not able to answer him,^(F) because they were terrified at his presence.^(G)

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.”^(H) When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!^{(I) 5} And now, do not be distressed^(J) and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,^(K) because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.^{(L) 6} For two years now there has been famine^(M) in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant^(N) on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^[a](O)

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.^(P) He made me father^(Q) to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.^{(R) 9} Now hurry^(S) back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.^{(T) 10} You shall live in the region of Goshen^(U) and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.^{(V) 11} I will provide for you there,^(W) because five years of famine^(X) are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’^(Y)

¹² “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin,^(Z) that it is really I who am speaking to you.^{(AA) 13} Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt^(AB) and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.^(AC)”

¹⁴ Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin^(AD) embraced him,^(AE) weeping. ¹⁵ And he kissed^(AF) all his brothers and wept over them.^(AG) Afterward his brothers talked with him.^(AH)

¹⁶ When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come,^(AI) Pharaoh and all his officials^(AJ) were pleased.^{(AK) 17} Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals^(AL) and return to the land of Canaan,^{(AM) 18} and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt^(AN) and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’^(AO)

¹⁹ “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts^(AP) from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. ²⁰ Never mind about your belongings,^(AQ) because the best of all Egypt^(AR) will be yours.’”

²¹ So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts,^(AS) as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.^{(AT) 22} To each of them he gave new clothing,^(AU) but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels^[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.^{(AV) 23} And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys^(AW) loaded with the best things^(AX) of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.^{(AY) 24} Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”^(AZ)

²⁵ So they went up out of Egypt^(BA) and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.^{(BB) 26} They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.”^(BC) Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.^{(BD) 27} But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts^(BE) Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. ²⁸ And Israel said, “I’m convinced!^(BF) My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”^(BG)